Kukla's Korner Hockey

Entries with the tag: dustin boyd

The Montreal Canadiens looked very good Tuesday night. They played a complete game, start to finish. Carey Price was sensational at times, making 33 saves, and everyone from Tomas Plekanec on down to Tom Pyatt had scoring chances.

More importantly, somewhere in the world last night, a pig must have taken flight, because not only were both Canadiens goals scored by defencemen, the second one was – brace yourself – scored on the power play. By Roman Hamrlik. Assisted by Jaroslav Spacek.

So Dustin Boyd is on waivers, much to Jacques Martin’s surprise (based on his comments to the media…the questions seemed to catch him off guard), and Max Lapierre is apparently the latest to audition for the second line left wing spot.

Because, let’s be honest, after four or five years as a checker/pest/grinder, it makes perfect sense that Maxime Lapierre can now be a contributing second liner.

Or not.

As the Habs continue to try and fill that top six spot, is there a move afoot? It seems odd that Boyd was suddenly waived, especially after Lars Eller was a healthy scratch. Could Aaron Palushaj or Max Pacioretty be on their way up to the big club? Could a trade be in the works? Are the Habs going to take my advice and reach out to free agent Bill Guerin, or perhaps Owen Nolan? As of this evening, the Team 990’s Tony Marinaro, who had Guerin as a guest on the radio earlier today, said Guerin had not received a call from Montreal (though he’d love to play for the Habs…although I suspect he’d just like to play, period).

The alternative to the standard game recap became a staple of my Tampa Bay Lightning coverage last season and it was only a matter of time before it made its season debut here.

Sure, the title of the regular feature has now been copied by a second-rate Bolts blog as of this morning but the content can’t hold a candle to the original and, hell, you’re here with me and they’re, well… They’re sleeping, I’m sure, on Pacific Time and what not… (Lightning coverage from California? Now that’s insight!)

Game four of the pre-season saw the Canadiens win 4-3 and even their record at 2-2, as a Koivu and Brunette-less Minnesota Wild were held to a meager fourteen shots by a stifling Canadiens defence.

The Habs dominated most this game, holding a shot advantage of 22-5 through the second period. Alex Auld played the entire game, looking good for most of it despite a lack of action and the .786 SVP on the night. Without question, the prettiest goal of the game was scored by Minnesota’s Justin Falk, who capped an impressive end to end rush by splitting the defence and beating Auld to his right.

For the Habs, Dustin Boyd stood out, playing an effective two-way game while scoring a goal for the second game in a row. Boyd stands out for his effort, which is consistent shift to shift, and the energy and poise he brings to the bottom six. If this brand of play continues, Canadiens fans will very soon forget the name Sergei Kostitsyn.

A few notes from Habsland as the Canadiens prepare for the Senators tonight:

- Markov’s return: Big news for Habs fans. According to RDS’ Renaud Lavoie, via Twitter, Andrei Markov will be back in October. This is great news, as Markov’s knee injury could have potentially held him out until November or December. My take? Even if he’s ready in week one, sit him against Toronto. You can’t trust that Grabovski.

- Carey Price says chill: As you’ve likely already heard, Carey Price suggested fans overreacted the other night with their booing and asked them to calm down and relax. And you know what? He’s right. It’s September. It’s the pre-season. It never ceases to amaze me how seriously people take these games. Enjoy watching the hockey, but fear not – Carey Price will be ok and the Habs will be a competitive team.

On the morning of tonight’s pivotal date with the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames centre Dustin Boyd was nowhere to be found, the latest NHL player to come down with the flu – and forced into isolation from his teammates.

This, of course, goes against the normal NHL ethic – that a player, injured or felled by an illness, attempt to play unless he is absolutely bed-ridden.

“That’s a little bit more of the old-school thinking that goes along with coaches who’ve been around for a long time,” agreed Flames’ defenceman Robyn Regehr. “For us as players, though, we don’t want guys who are sick around because even it’s one guy, he can affect the group – 20 or 22 guys.

Boyd, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is coming off a career year netting 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 71 games. Entering his third season with the Flames, Boyd has scored 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 132 career NHL games.